Latch for sliding doors



E. E. ALLSTATTER.

LATCH FOR SLIDING DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28, 1921.

1,408,240, Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

INVENTUR .5213 ,401 TA rrs;

A TTORNEYS UNITE EDVITN ELIYTER ALLSTJ-LTTER, 0F HAIEILTON, OHIO.

LATCH F011- SLITDING DOORS.

Specification of Letters I atent.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

Application filed January 28, 1921. Serial No. 440,711.

1 0 all 'tU/LOWL it may concern Be it known that I, EDWIN ELivrnn ALL- STATTER, a citif ien of the United States, and a resident of lilamilton, in the county of Butler and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latches for Sliding Doors, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

My invention relates generally to latches for sliding doors, and particularly although not necessarily, to latches for the sliding doors of freight cars.

A. purpose of my invention is the provision of a door latch of extremely simple, inexpensive, and durable construction, and which is applicable to the rear end of a sliding door to prevent surreptitious opening thereof and to lock the door in partial open position. i

It is also a purpose ofmy invention to provide a door latch which is applicable to doors of wooden or steel freight cars, and that when applied to a wooden car utilizes the woodin preventing the opening of a door and thus dispenses with a locking bar that is necessary when using the lock on steel cars, though if desirable a row of teeth can be formed in the side of the steel car.

I will describe one form of door lock embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view showing in side eleva' tion a wooden freight car having applied thereto one form of latch embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of a portion of the freight car shown in Figure 1 with the locking tongue in looking position.

Figure 3 is a pers ective view of a portion of a steel freight car having applied thereto the latch shown in Figure l and an additional locking bar.

Similar referencecharacters refer to similar parts in each of the views.

Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly to Figure 1, F designates a conventional form of freight car including a sliding door D, which as shown is in closed position and is adapted to be moved to the left when in open position. Permanently secured to the rear or left hand end of the door D such as by means of rivets, bolts or the like, as indicated at 15, is a metallic plate, P. This plate is bent at right angles at its lcit'hand end to provide a lip 16 which is secured to the rear vertical edge of the door. At the corner of the plate or at the point of intersection between the lip and the plate body a locking tongue T is pivotally supported for horizontal swinging movement by means of a hinge connection 17. As shown in Figure 2, the free end of the lock ing tongue T is tapered to provide a relative sharp cutting edge so that it can be readily imbedded in the side of a freight car. Also at the corner of the plate P laterally extending ears 18 are formed h ving alined openings through which extends a keeperpin K. As illustrated to advantage in Figure 3, the upper end of the pin K is bent at right angles to provide an extension 19, while the lower end of the pin is provided with a transverse opening 20 through which a seal or padlock is adapted to be extended. The pin K is permanently maintained within the cars 18 against displacement by means of a collar 21 secured to the pin at a point intermediate its ends so that the pin can be elevated to escape the locking tongue T but cannot be completely removed from the ears. in the operation of the latch, the locking tongue T occupies an inwardly inclined position when the door D is in closed position, and this tongue is locked against out-ward swinging movement by means of the locking p n K. As illustrated to advantage in Fgure 3, the locking pin engages the outer s' is of the tongue T adjacent its pivot point 1? and thus secures the tongue in its inwardly inclined position. If an attempt is now made to slide the door to open position, it will be clear that the cutting edge of the locking tongue will be imbedded in the side of the car thus preventing opening of the door. Should it be desired to normally maintain the door in partially open position, it will be clear that the locking tongue T will function in a like manner so as to prevent further opening of the door, it being understood, however, that the door is free to be moved to completely closed position.

lVhen it is desired to unlock the door so that it can be moved to open position, the locking pin K is elevated so as to clear the tongue T, it being understood that the collar 21 engages the upper ear l8 and thus prevents complete removal of the pin. With the pin I; in elevated position, the tongue T can be swung outwardly so as to disengage the side of a freight car. The tongue may be maintained in this disengaged position by lowering the pin K so as to engage the inner side of the tongue, thus preventing inward swinging movement of the latter.

Referring now to Figure 3, I have here shown a steel freight car F provided with a sliding door D which carries the plate P, the locking tongue T and the keeper pin K. The construction of this part of the latch is the same as that shown in Figure 1. However, in the present instance, the car being made of steel it is necessary to provide additional means for preventing retrograde movement of the locking tongue T. To this end I provide a locking bar 13 which is permanently secured to the side of the car by rivets 22 and in the path of movement of the tongue T. The side face of the bar B is formed with a plurality of wedge-shaped teeth 23 which extend in the direction of the door so as to be engaged by the locking tongue in the manner shown and to thereby secure the door in closed or partially closed position.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of sliding door lock embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Vhat I claim is:

1. A latch for sliding doors comprising a plate adapted to be secured to the side of a sliding door and having a terminal bent portion secured to one vertical edge of the door, a pair of alined ears formed on the plate at the junction of the main body of the plate and the terminal bent portion, a locking bar adapted to be secured to the side of a car and having teeth formed thereon extending in the direction of the door, a locking tongue hingedly supported on said plate in such manner that its free end is adapted to engage any of the teeth of said locking bar, a keeper pin slidably fitted in said ears and having its upper end formed with an angular bent portion and its lower end with an opening for the reception of a seala-nd a collar fixed to the pin at such a point betweensaid ears to allow of the pin moving to disengaging position with respect to said tongue but to prevent the complete removal of the pin from the ears.

2. A latch for sliding doors comprising a plate adapted to be secured to the side of a sliding door and having a terminal bent portion secured to the rear vertical edge of. the door, a pair of alined ears formed on the plate at the junction of the main body of the plate and the terminal bent portion, a locking tongue hingedly supported on said plate in such manner that its free end is adapted to abut and engage the side of the car to the rear of said rear vertical edge of the door, a keeper pin slidably mounted in said ears and having its upper end offset and its lower end provided with means for the reception of a seal, and a collar fixed to the pin at such a point between said ears to allow the pin moving axially to disengaging position with respect to said tongue but to prevent complete removal of the pin from both ears.

EDWIN ELMER ALLSTATTER. 

